We all have different perspectives on everything in our life.

In this matter, students (education

majors in particular) and teachers might be on the same page with the case of Mr. Reyes being

ineligible to teach in public schools because he's not yet a L.E.T. passer. However, the Philippine

Regulation Commission and the Department of Education have a different approach for it.

They've set some guidelines for a qualified educator eligible to teach in public schools.

This reason is traced way back to 1977 with Presidential Decree No. 1007 or the Decree

Professionalizing Teaching. Afterward, during the year 1991, a Congressional Commission to

Review and Assess Philippine Education (E.D.C.O.M.) discovered that teachers were a

significant contributor to the problem. Since teaching has been perceived as a low-status

profession due to inadequate teacher training, which contradicts our Constitution's mandate that

"teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents." This then led the

government to mandate a law that aims to enhance the quality of teaching in or country, known

as the RA 7836 or the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994, which seeks to

promote, develop and professionalize teachers and the teaching profession, as well as to

administer and regulate a licensure examination for them. When you sincerely try to understand

the said act, it wants to imply that teachers do not teach for the sake of teaching but instead as

part of a profession that defines what the Constitution requires and what characteristics constitute

a "professional teacher." The act was mandated to become a solution and improve the country's

teachers and the teaching profession. Nonetheless, If non-LET passers were allowed to teach,

especially in public schools, all prominent solutions and the bright future of the young learners

would be jeopardized.

Another possible way to look at the case through the lens of P.R.C. and DepED is the word seen

in the title of RA 7836, which is "Professionalization." When you look at it, there is the term
"professional or professionalization," so if non-LET passers were allowed to teach in public

institutions, the title's significance would be entirely disoriented. In addition to that, the teaching

profession also became on level terms with other professional occupations because of this act,

such as medicine, law, nursing, and others. As all of them have a fixed guideline for a licensure

examination, oath-taking during licensing, membership in professional associations, and

inclusion on the Professional Regulation Commission's roster of professionals. Therefore with

these grounds, the teaching profession should always be taken into grave account and practice by

following the implemented rules and guidelines because the job is now aligned with other

occupations that also have a professionalization system.

So it is justifiable why P.R.C. and DepED established the said requirements for the teaching

profession in order to improve the quality of education in the country. The first account that we

should look into is the educators themselves, as they are the center of the said profession. Also,

the Licensure Examination for Teachers somehow serves as the country's assurance in a way that

when an individual is qualified for the licensure, the educator is now capable of harnessing the

young generations of Filipinos. Furthermore, the ineligibility of Mr. Reyes' to apply teaching at

public schools is just suitable as the institution only follows what is mandated legally through

our laws. In addition, P.R.C. and DepED implemented and followed the said guidelines as they

only want to ensure that competency and proficiency are evident among every educator whose

mission is to shape the minds of young generations in the country.

One way to further measure the situation is through the perspective of public school teachers

themselves. As elaborated earlier, one of the most major qualifications in becoming a public

school teacher here in the Philippines is to obtain a license issued by the PRC. However, that
alone is not enough. The whole application process requires more than obligating applicants to

pass the licensure examination.

As per DepEd Teacher 1 Hiring Guidelines for SY 2020-2021, DepEd Order No. 7, s. 2015

(Hiring Guidelines for Teacher I Positions for School Year (SY) 2015-2016) shall be the basis

for the hiring policies for Kindergarten, Elementary, and Junior High Levels while DepEd Order

No. 3, s. 2016 for Senior High School teaching positions, from hereon until further notice.

Moreover, according to DepEd Order No. 7, s. 2015, the qualifications in hiring a public school

teacher follows certain criteria which will be the basis of the evaluation and ranking of

applicants. The components of the criteria are as follows: a.) Education - 20 pints, b.) Teaching

Experience - 15 points, c.) LET/PBET Rating - 15 points, d.) Specialized Training and Skills - 10

points, e.) Interview - 10 points, f.) Demonstrating Teaching - 15 points, and g.) Communication

Skills - 15 points which equate to a total of 100 points.

Considering the reality of Mr. Reyes’ situation, he may have obtained an education degree from

a reputable university but it will only satisfy one component of the criteria. Aside from the

licensure examination, he has to gain his teaching experience which in most cases, teaching in

private schools is the way to go. Next, he must undergo an interview and perform his demo

teaching. And the rest of the components must be fulfilled as well in order to suffice the needed

points for his application, which will definitely reflect based on his performance and credentials.

After complying to the demands of the application process, he will be evaluated and will be

ranked together with his fellow applicants. His ranking will decide whether his application to the

schools division would be accepted immediately or otherwise. With that being said, the

qualifications to be a public school teacher does not only circulate on acquiring a license. An

aspiring professional educator must prove him/herself to be deserving, accordingly.